Jacqui has a secret!!!

Well, it's no longer a secret - Noah's going to have another cousin!!

We're so happy and very excited :)

I'm 1 week old and coming home today!!

I stayed in mummy and daddy's room last night. Although I'd been sleeping for 3 hours at a stretch in the nursery, I didn't really like the dark and quietness of their room so decided to wake up every hour and a half for a chat, plus I was finding that I was rather hungry.

Don't you like my cousins, I think they're great!!

I really liked mummy and daddy's room in the end, it was really comfy, mummy was relaxed and we had a great view!

But by the time 11am rolled around it was my 1-week birthday. My very first present was a warm bath which I loved!!!!!!!!! Although daddy dunked my head and was very panicked, I kind of liked it and he did a good job. I think I even fell asleep.


My paediatrician Dr Roberts said that I had done a really good job in my first week, so it was time to go home!! Mummy and daddy were certainly very proud.

The car seat is really comfy, I love the movement of driving...

Just a few presents for me!!

My new sister is really furry!!

Noah: "I'm free, I'm free"!

My predictions came true and sure enough Noah figured out how to get his last tube out all by himself - literally, I looked and it had gone! He's a very clever boy and knew that he could easily subsist on mum's milk from now on.

Most importantly, Noah has graduated from the nursery and is now able to stay with us in our room on his gigantic and very soft teddy bear (with only short trips back). It's just awesome, in the true sense of the word, to have him to ourselves. I'm still struggling to process just how great I think he is... moreover how much I melt every time I see mum and bub together.

Thank you so much to everyone for all your well wishes on this blog, cards, flowers, presents and mainly just for making us feel like we are surrounded with the most wonderful family and friends in the entire world. Noah already has an amazing extended family and we can't wait for you all to be a part of his life, and he of yours XXX

He's almost there...

Another momentous 24 hours. Noah started breastfeeding yesterday, much to Kirsty's relief (top photo). I started him off by dipping a dummy in some milk and accidentally spilt a drop, followed by a reprimand from the nurse - "don't you know that's liquid gold" - she's right, it is. I can already see him gaining strength every day. He also came off light therapy yesterday (Sunday) and his IV drip this morning. This was fantastic because it meant we got to dress him up in his own clothes for the very first time! He's only got one tube to go - that which is entering his nose then stomach to top up his feeds (bottom photo). I'm sure today he'll figure out what he needs to do to get it out, and will be back in our room by this evening.

It was wonderful to see Jake and Abbey's reactions to their new cousin yesterday. They're great kids and so excited - they even started dancing.

Oh yeah, I changed my first nappy this morning (middle photo).

Strong Boy

Noah didn't need to go back on the CPAP positive air supply - he's been breathing by himself since I left him on Friday night (see previous blog entry). We were overjoyed on Saturday morning (top two photos) when the brilliant staff at PMH told us that Noah could come back to Joondalup!! There are some very sick babies in the Neonatal Ward 6B of PMH and Noah's was a hotel stay compared to some - the nurses and doctors in that place are true angels on earth - people just don't realise the miracles they work each and every day. Thank you's (and big hugs and kisses from Rob) don't quite seem to be enough.


Noah is now in the special care nursery at Joondalup (bottom photo), just down the hall from mum and dad, who have scored a family room and double bed! Noah has also scored the best bed in the house, right next to the window so he can receive some natural UV, as well as the bright lights being shone on him, to break down his jaundice.


It's now Sunday morning and I have had a good night's sleep, while my darling and slightly sleep-deprived wife was expressing and ferrying milk down the hall every three hours for her son. She said she didn't mind one little bit and I believe her. I have never seen Kirsty so happy. Hopefully he will start breastfeeding today and come stay in our room tomorrow...

A few hours makes a big difference to a newborn...

... and to a mum that wants to see him! Let me just put on the record that my wife is incredible - the lure of our beautiful boy saw her walking into PMH easy as can be this afternoon. The unexpected reward was a wonderful first cuddle (top photo). Noah had only just had the red "CPAP" beanie (and attached air source) put back on his head when we got there, but had been breathing unassisted for two hours prior. Kirsty shed quite a few tears of happiness and I think just seeing, holding and smelling Noah made mum's milk 'come in'... the mother-baby bond is a wonderous thing to observe.


By the time I got back at 9.30pm, he had extended his record to 2.5hrs unassisted and looked absolutely beautiful in bed (middle photo). He may need some more CPAP - maybe not?! I must admit that I was overwhelmed when the nurse asked if I would like to hold him for the first time (bottom photo)... I had tears of joy streaming down my face. It would be a struggle to put down in words what I felt tonight, for him to be crying and then settle in my arms, the only thing that comes close is like every single dream you've ever had being realised in one moment. I love you Noah, more than I already did and more than I could have ever imagined.

Mum and bub doing well.

Well, Kirsty was VERY sore last night, but has made an expedient recovery today... just like her son. Noah responded very well to the surfactant medicine trickled into his lungs overnight and was taken off his ventilator this morning. He was a bit puffy when I saw him and retaining fluid (look at his eyelids) - he hadn't had a wee since being born, but by the time I got back to him this evening he had been weeing all afternoon - which is really good!! He's going to be absolutely fine... hopefully back with mum by Saturday :)

In chronological order: Top photo - still on the ventilator this morning, but looking beautiful. Middle two - Check out his red beanie - this is a great invention to affix machinery to his head without elastoplast (note his rash from the bandaids -poor little guy). Although it looks like he's got more tubes in these photos - he's actually getting much less assistance. Bottom photo - Nanna Beggs' thumb (and Noah's tiny foot too).

Introducing... Noah!!

Well that all happened a bit quicker than expected!!

Hello everyone, a very proud dad here. I'm exhausted, but couldn't help sharing a few pics and words about my little guy - I'll keep it brief with more to come soon... Well, it was a bit of a shock yesterday when Kirsty rang me at work to say she was being admitted - but we got her all settled in, with the caesarean booked for Friday. But shock is an understatement of how I felt when I popped in to say hello to Kirsty this morning only to be told to "scrub up because this baby is coming out right now" - I cut his cord at 11 am.

Kirsty was amazing, even with an adverse reaction to the anaesthetic she somehow pulled herself together and got to hold her little baby boy before he was whipped up to the nusery for some special attention... She is recovering well, but very sore at the moment.

Noah's a bit premature (35 weeks), so his lungs aren't fully developed just yet. He needs a little assistance with his breathing so he has been transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital (that big tube going into his nose is a ventilator). I've just got back from seeing him and he's doing just fine. In fact, I think he's perfect.

Love to you all, Rob XXX

So much news so little time.

This is going to be the longest babble ever so get ready for an information overload.

First and foremost Reuben and Declan's mum Julia delivered her new baby on Monday July 14th at 1.10pm. The new baby girl is a teeny tiny 5.5 pound bundle of joy called Ivy. Mum and baby have had some minor challenges but are doing well and expected to be out of hospital tomorrow (Thursday). Julia was absolutely amazing and stayed at home labouring until midday then arrived at the hospital basically fully dilated then delivered an hour later completely drug free. She's officially my new hero.

While Jack and Julia have been in hospital Rob and I have had their gorgeous boys staying with us. It has been so much fun and great to get to spend so much time with them. Declan and Reuben are such amazing kids and they have been dream house guests for the last 3 days. Tonight Jack comes home to take over and although the break will be much needed I'll be a little bit heartbroken. They're my little buddies and I love them so much.

As far as Poppy goes - all is going really well and the time is flying by. She is passing all her tests with flying colours and is very active which keeps me happy. Last time I wrote she was in breech (June 26th), then on Wednesday July 10th she had turned in a lovely downward position. This made our OB very happy and she booked us in for our induction Tuesday August 5th. We had our last official scan today to discover that the acrobatics are continuing and we are back in breech. What a cheeky baby. There is of course still time for many more of these flips to take place but it makes our decision about a natural labour versus Caesarean a bit more tricky. I have a really good amount of amniotic fluid in my uterus (anyone who's seen my belly could have guessed that!!) so she could quite literally keep changing position on a daily basis. Because I'm on blood thinners and I have a history of being a bleeder anyway a complicated natural delivery would be very dangerous for me. I would really love to try and have a natural birth but it is looking more and more like a Caesar might be the better option. We have another OB appointment next Wednesday (July 23rd) so we'll discuss it with Margo then. In any case Poppy will be arriving on the 5th or 6th of August which means 19 sleeps to go!!

Rob and I have done our ante-natal classes over the last 2 Saturdays which were very informative and lots of fun. Of course all that breathing practice might not be necessary in the end but the classes are all a part of the experience and definitely made it all feel more real than ever.

I'll leave you with a risque photo of my semi-naked pregnant body!!!!!!!!

Pregnancy is a strange beast....

I've had 2 absolutely action packed days with no chance to put my feet up for even a second - you would think I'd be exhausted. However here I am at 3.15am completely unable to sleep. It's very frustrating.

Maternity Leave sucks!!

Don't get me wrong it's great having time to relax and I have been doing some relaxing but I'm really bored and I miss the kids. Quite unexpectedly this week my work schedule has slowed down and I'm finding myself a bit antsy for something to do. Of course there are jobs to do around the house and I have been doing some of them but there's only so many times I can vacuum the rug before it becomes an obsessive disorder. I'm sure if I was working I'd be longing for a chance to sit on the couch in peace and have a cuppa - what;s that they say about green grass??!!

I'm 32 weeks plus 1 day and Poppy is doing really well. We've been continuing our bi-weekly heart monitoring and she is an A+++ every time. We have our last ultrasound on July 16th and then a couple of weeks later we'll get to see our baby for real - sooooooooooooo exciting.